Set Free: What the Bible Really Teaches About Divorce and Remarriage

What if the Bible’s teaching on divorce and remarriage is not harsher or looser, but wiser than we’ve been told?

For many Christians, divorce is not only painful—it is confusing. Believers who want to honor God often find themselves asking difficult questions: What does the Bible really say about divorce? Is remarriage allowed in Scripture? Did Jesus forbid divorce completely? Am I living in sin if I remarry? Does God still accept me after divorce?

These questions are often answered with slogans instead of careful study. Verses are quoted without context. Church traditions are repeated as if they were Scripture. And many sincere believers carry guilt that the Bible itself does not require.

Set Free offers a careful, biblical, and covenant-centered study of what Scripture actually teaches about marriage, divorce, separation, and remarriage. Instead of beginning with modern assumptions, this book returns to the world of the Bible itself, examining the Law of Moses, the teachings of Jesus, the writings of Paul, and the historical and cultural context in which these texts were first spoken.

This book explores key questions Christians ask about divorce and remarriage:

• What does the Bible really teach about divorce and remarriage?
• Did Jesus forbid remarriage after divorce?
• What did the Old Testament law actually say about divorce?
• How should Christians understand Matthew 19, Mark 10, and 1 Corinthians 7?
• Does the Bible allow divorce in cases of abandonment, neglect, or abuse?
• What does covenant mean in marriage according to Scripture?
• Are common church teachings about divorce always correct?

Drawing from biblical theology, Hebrew and Greek word studies, historical context, and pastoral experience, Set Free shows that the Bible’s teaching on marriage and divorce is both serious and protective. Scripture upholds the dignity of marriage, but it also recognizes covenant responsibility, justice, and the protection of the vulnerable.

This book does not lower biblical standards, excuse sin, or treat marriage lightly. Instead, it seeks to understand why the Bible gives the instructions it does, and how those instructions were meant to guide real people in real situations, including cases of abandonment, betrayal, neglect, and harm.

Readers will discover how many modern misunderstandings about divorce and remarriage come from ignoring the covenant framework of Scripture, misunderstanding ancient Jewish law, or reading the words of Jesus without their legal and historical context.

If you have struggled with questions about divorce, remarriage, guilt, or whether God still accepts you, this book will help you read the Bible with clarity, honesty, and peace.

Written in a calm, pastoral, and scholarly voice, Set Free is for Christians who love Scripture, want to honor God, and are seeking truth rather than slogans.

About the Author

Dr. Douglas Hamp is a biblical scholar, author, and pastor who has written extensively on Scripture, covenant theology, and the historical context of the Bible. His work focuses on helping modern readers understand the Bible in its original setting so that difficult passages can be read with clarity and confidence. Through his books, teaching, and pastoral work, he has helped many believers wrestle honestly with challenging questions about faith, marriage, and biblical interpretation.

Early Reader Feedback

“This book brought clarity to questions I have struggled with for years. It explains the difficult passages on divorce and remarriage in a way that is both faithful to Scripture and compassionate toward real situations.”
— Early reader